LISTEN: Elk Hunter Wins Right to Fulfill Dying Brother’s Wish with a Little Help from Lars

Jeremy and Josh grew up deer and elk hunting together with their family since they were kids. Joshua was blessed with harvesting a few deer over the years, but has never harvested an elk.

When the doctors told them last week he has about 4 months left before the disease takes his life, Joshua asked if he and his six-year-old son Jaden could go with Jeremy next week on his elk hunt in the Chesnimnus unit in NE Oregon. Jeremy said of course, but he wanted to take it a step further and see if he could somehow get a tag so he could have the chance to take a bull elk.

Rumors got around Wallowa county and a number of ranchers heard about the situation and many of them offered to actually let Joshua hunt their ranches at no charge, so long as the Oregon Dept of Fish & Wildlife (ODFW) would let them sign over a LOP tag to Joshua.

When Jeremy went to ODFW to sign over the tag to his dying brother, he was told the deadline to make changes to the LOP tag had passed and he would not be able to do it. Joshua’s oncologist is Dr. Bud Pierce, the man who is running for the governor of Oregon. Dr. Pierce even offered to write a letter to ODFW confirming Joshua’s condition if that would help.

UPDATE: ODFW called Jeremy & said they are going to approve this for Joshua. They’ve never had anyone fight for this.

THANK YOU Lars, may the Lord bless you abundantly for your kindness & willingness to listen. – Jeremy